Personal Holding Device (&#34;P.H.D.&#34;)

ABSTRACT

The Personal Holding Device, “P.H.D.” is a collapsible holder with three parts joined by a single hinge and a clip to attach to the user&#39;s clothing or other convenient location to help facilitate a hands-free option for other activities. When open, an O-shaped ring or similar variation of this shape is held in horizontal position by a supporting lip. The ring keeps any beverage or similarly shaped container in place. The top stationary piece serves as a splash guard and as a means for attachment. It has a clip with a “key-hole” opening located on the back side. The bottom piece has a semi-circular aperture with a non-slip material covered lip at the mouth of the aperture for securing the bottom of any container placed through the ring. A latch in the form of magnets or a clip holds the device closed and out of the way until needed again.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/934,361, filed 2007 Jun. 14 by the present inventor.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field

This application generally relates to the hands-free capability for transporting or storing beverages, lotions, cleaning product containers, paint cans (spray), baby bottles, salon products or other similarly shaped product while carried directly upon the person or attached to any convenient location.

2. Prior Art

One can find in the market place many types of holders or containers that hold one's drink while in one's hand or car or bike or wheeled luggage but none as particular as a holder that can be attached to one's clothing or other convenient location and offer the hand's free capability or be used with such a wide range of similarly shaped products with the same hands-free feature as the present invention.

The present application's use and advantages is immeasurable to the types of situations that allow its users hands-free access to the nature of their jobs or hobbies or household chores or parental duties or other activities that encompasses the need for easy access to the product they are able to store on one's clothing or conveniently locate near oneself with the “P.H.D.”

One example of an advantage is the following scenario. People at one time or another in their lives find themselves at an event that serves food and drink but little to no sitting room or place to put said food or drink. How does one carry a plate of food, eat and drink at the same time? This application solves the problem of eating and drinking while standing without putting one's drink on the ground or other unsafe remote place while in a crowd such as parades, sports games, picnics, family reunions, concerts, or malls, any/and all large events where food and drink are served.

Another advantage is suited to the needs of a parent or person holding a child that needs a convenient location for the child's bottle or drink. The “P.H.D” can be easily attached to the clothing, the diaper bag or stroller (or other similar item) for easy access without the worry of said item falling.

Yet another advantage could describe the “P.H.D.” as handy for a variety of people, such as but not limited to a cleaning crew, a salon owner and her staff, sports man or woman, shopper, hunter, fisherman, painter or other individual that would require access to any similarly noted items such as but not limited to a beverage bottle or can, hair spray, glass cleaner, spray paint, or clothes starch.

SUMMARY

This embodiment allows its users to function hands free when attached to said user and folds flat and out of the way when not in use. It affords convenient storage of containers in non-convenient environments.

DRAWINGS Figures

In the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 3 represents the embodiment as a whole with different views showing the two (2) portions, top and bottom, connected by the hinge and showing the O-ring also connected by the hinge, clip, supporting lip and inward curved lip and magnetic closures.

FIG. 1 shows the embodiment in its open state from an isometric view.

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment in its open state as a side view.

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment in its closed state as a side view.

FIG. 4 shows a view of the clip with the opening to allow for other methods of attachment.

DRAWINGS Reference Numerals

10 Top Portion 12 Bottom Portion 14 Hinge 16 O-ring 18 Clip 20 Inward Curved Lip 22 Supporting Lip 24 Magnets (or Snap) 26 Non-slip Material 28 Key Hole Opening

DETAILED DESCRIPTION First Embodiment—FIG. 1

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the embodiment or “P.H.D.” as a whole while in its open state for carrying or storage purposes. The embodiment is made of a lightweight durable material. Two portions, top 10 and bottom 12 are attached upon a hinge rod 14 that allows a planar separation and each separate portion of the embodiment has a slight curvature in its lateral plane to form a concave shape when opened.

A “trimmed” edge extends from the rear of the bottom plane of this top portion 10 and makes rotation-ceasing contact upon the bottom portion 12, and with purpose of prevention of over-rotation/overextension.

The bottom portion 12 of the embodiment features a semicircular opening in its center. The bottom lateral wall of this aperture features an inward curved lip 20, upon which allows the bottom of an inserted “cup-shaped”, “bottle-shaped”, “can-shaped” or other similarly shaped container rest when the embodiment is in carrying or storing use.

Attached between these two (2) portions of the embodiment and upon the same hinge rod 14 is an O-ring 16. The O-ring 16 rests upon a supporting lip 22 found at the base of the top portion 10 of the “P.H.D.” when the device is opened, and allows the O-ring 16 to maintain placement at a perfectly horizontal position in this opened state.

A clip 18 is mounted upon the rear wall of the top portion 10 of the “P.H.D.”

A pair of opposing magnets 24 or a “snap-clip” feature is manufactured at the uppermost point of the top portion 10 and lower point of the bottom portion 12. The magnets or snap feature will hold the two (2) portions in the closed position when not in use and allow for easy storage.

Operation—FIGS. 1 through 4

A user may attach the Personal Holding Device (“P.H.D.”) upon a belt or waist-line of his or her clothing or other area of convenience on the person or near the person. The user may then unfold the “P.H.D.” and insert a beverage or other similarly shaped container through the O-ring 16. This container will partially enter the aperture upon the bottom portion 12 of the device, and its bottom rim will rest upon the non-slip material 26 covering the inward curved lip 20.

When the container is removed, user may fold the “P.H.D.” while still located upon said user and it will be held together in a clam shape via magnets or snap-feature attachment 24.

The key hole opening 28 found on the clip 18 can also be utilized as a form of attachment to a place of convenience to the user.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

The “Personal Holding Device (P.H.D.)” may be made of various metal materials of various grades. The “P.H.D” may also be made of applicable plastic materials of various colors.

The “P.H.D.” may be made in many different shapes and sizes, including specific shapes and sizes for use with specific beverage containers, such as but not limited to disposable coffee cups, beverage bottles and beverage cans, and for specific shapes and sizes of these cups, bottles and cans.

The “P.H.D.” can be made in formats for use with, and may or may not bear logos of the specific beverage container of, specific brands and brand names of beverages.

The “P.H.D.” can be made in formats in which its supporting clip is extendable in horizontal length and in any method including inclusion of a separate clip of such capability and to allow the logo and/or product name which may appear on any location of the device and which may or may not be the registered trademark and/or copyright of the design.

The “P.H.D.” provides a convenience that is both wanted and needed by consumers.

The “P.H.D.” allows consumers to enjoy beverages of choice in any location under any circumstance.

The “P.H.D.” allows consumers the ability to keep both hands free for other tasks while enjoying their beverage.

The “P.H.D.” permits the consumer the ability to maintain a close reach for a highly used item while performing the task that requires the “at-hand” item.

The “P.H.D” is designed with the ability to close into a relatively flat surface when not in use whether attached to one's clothing or another convenient location.

The “P.H.D.” allows the consumer the option to wear or attach to another location such as but not limited to a briefcase, diaper bag, stroller, cleaning cart, garage or storage room wall, under sinks, salon station walls.

The “P.H.D.” is compact in nature when not in use and is easily stored or neatly placed against one's body.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not read as to an extent of limiting the scope of the embodiment but as merely providing examples of the embodiment.

Thus the scope of the embodiment should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than the examples given. 

1. A personal holding device is a top portion, bottom portion, O-ring, clip made of lightweight durable material and are held together upon a hinge rod that allows planar separation with the top and bottom portions each with a slight curvature in its lateral plane to form a concave shape when opened.
 2. A carefully “trimmed” edge extends from the rear of the bottom plane along the base of the hinge rod of claim 1 on either side of the supporting lip of said top portion of claim
 1. 3. The edge in claim 2 is “trimmed” to make rotation-ceasing contact upon said bottom portion of claim 1 with purpose of maintaining concave shape and for prevention of over-rotation/over-extension.
 4. The supporting lip of claim 2 maintains said O-ring of claim 1 at a horizontal position when the device is open.
 5. The bottom portion of claim 1 features a semicircular aperture in its center.
 6. The bottom lateral wall of the aperture of claim 5 features an inward curved lip upon which the bottom of an inserted container rests when in carrying use.
 7. A non-slip textured surface is attached to the inward curved lip of claim
 6. 8. Attached between the top portion and bottom portion of claim 1 and upon the same hinge rod is the O-ring of claim
 1. 9. A spring clip with a “key-hole” opening is mounted on or molded into the top portion for attaching purposes. 